Another point for Amazon

6.15.2011

I often buy music when I need inspiration... or just something to distract me from the current task at hand. So yesterday afternoon when I was in need of some extra kick in my cubicle, I procured Jason Aldean's album from Amazon MP3. I rarely buy music from iTunes anymore since the prices are just nearly always higher than Amazon's. I love Apple but I pay enough for their products, I don't need to pay $2 extra to listen to Jason Aldean woo me with some country beats.

But, as I was loaded my new Amazon tunes to my computer I saw Owl City had a free song available on iTunes. I elected to wait until I was back at my hotel to download it to my iPad {fondly referred to as Mr. Darcy}. SO, when I went to download it last night I just opened the app and clicked on the image you see here:

Which opened this screen:

So that's pretty obvious. You can see which song is free right? Yes, iTunes I'd like to download "Deer in the Headlights" for zero dollars. Yes. Please. Thank You.

BUT. That's not what I saw when I first opened the app. Because the top section of the iTunes window scrolls, I saw that bleach blonde girl Christina Aguilara and the Voice promo. So, I clicked on the smaller Owl City block below{as designated by my friendly and helpful red box... I'm so fancy}

Now, when you click on this box ... it totally by passes the "free song" offer and just shows you the album ... which would be totally fine if iTunes didn't try to charge to buy "Deer in the Headlights".

As if it was bad enough that iTunes wants to take advantage of its customers who don't click the right box... they are also going to charge them the premium price of $1.29 for doing so. As you can tell by the fact that I wrote about it, this pricing stuff drives me crazy. I'd love to know how many people have inadvertently bought the song that is also being offered for free...

I'm sure by this point you are in one of three states {or perhaps more than one}... (1) tired of screenshots, (2) rage or (3) confusion. But, I just wanted to share one more... All the while iTunes is potentially profiting off this pricing confusion.... Amazon is charging less for the album and less for the song.